NBA Game Notes (April 24, 2025)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on April 24, 2025.

Apr 25, 2025

Three Stars

The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.

First ⭐️

Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and dished out a team-high nine assists (tied with Josh Hart) as the New York Knicks edged the Detroit Pistons 118-116 to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference First Round series. Brunson shot 9-20 from the field (but just 1-7 on 3-pointers) and 11-13 from the free throw line. He also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked one shot, committing just one turnover in 39 minutes played.

Second ⭐️

Jalen Williams tallied 26 points, six rebounds, and five assists to help the Oklahoma City Thunder erase a 26-point halftime deficit in a 114-108 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, giving the Thunder a commanding 3-0 lead in their Western Conference First Round series. Williams went 9-16 from the floor (2-6 on threes) and 6-10 from the charity stripe. He also swiped two steals and blocked one shot in 37 minutes of court time.

Third ⭐️

James Harden scored 20 points and handed out a team-high nine assists as the LA Clippers routed the Denver Nuggets 117-83 to go up 2-1 in their Western Conference First Round series. Harden shot 6-14 from the field (3-8 on 3-pointers) and 5-6 from the free throw line. He also snagged six rebounds, committed just one turnover, and was not charged with a personal foul in 34 minutes of court time.

Milestones

As noted above, the Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 26-point halftime deficit to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies, the largest such comeback in NBA playoff history. The previous record of 25 points was set by the Cleveland Cavaliers versus the Indiana Pacers on April 2, 2017.
The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (23 points, 13 rebounds, 13 assists) recorded his 20th career triple-double in the playoffs, becoming the third player in NBA history to reach that mark. He trails Magic Johnson (30) and LeBron James (28) on the all-time list.
Jokic and teammate Jamal Murray (23 points) each scored at least 20 points in the same playoff game for the 39th time, tying the St. Louis Hawks’ Bob Pettit and Cliff Hagan for the ninth-most such games in NBA history by a duo.
The Detroit Pistons (16-37 on threes) set franchise records for most 3-pointers made and attempted in a playoff game. They surpassed the previous marks of 15 makes (achieved three times previously) and 36 attempts (twice).
Tim Hardaway Jr. (7-12 on threes) tied the Detroit Pistons’ record for most 3-pointers made in a playoff game. He shares the mark with Chauncey Billups, who achieved the feat May 2, 2003.
Desmond Bane (2-11 on threes) increased his playoff career total to 70 3-pointers made, tying Mike Conley atop the Memphis Grizzlies’ all-time list. Bane reached that mark in just 26 games, 30 fewer than Conley.

Streaking

Brunson is just the second player in New York Knicks history to score at least 30 points in each of the first three games of a playoff series. He joins Bernard King, who achieved the feat in a 1984 Eastern Conference First Round series, also versus the Pistons.
The Pistons have lost eight consecutive home playoff games, the second-longest such streak in NBA history. The Philadelphia 76ers dropped nine home playoff games in a row from April 15, 1968 through March 30, 1971.

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The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns shared nightly scoring honors with 31 points apiece. They were followed by Brunson with 30 points, the Grizzlies’ Scotty Pippen Jr. with 28, and Jalen Williams with 26.
Jokic was the night’s top board man, securing 13 rebounds. The Knicks’ Josh Hart and the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard tied for second place with 11 boards each.
Jokic led all playmakers last night, handing out 13 assists. The Pistons’ Cade Cunningham also delivered double-digit dimes with 11.
Towns and Brunson are the first New York Knicks duo to each score at least 30 points in the same playoff game since Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell on May 18, 1999.